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Washington Post article wrote: "As Alexandria city manager (1970-1974), Mr. Anderson worked to balance land development pressures with quality-of-life concerns. He also worked to improve relations with the city's black population, reorganized government departments and helped develop plans to revive neglected schools, neighborhoods and business districts."

Stop #17 - Alexandria Junction

Washington & Old Dominion Railroad

Construction began in 1855, meant to cross Blue Ridge Mountains to reach coal fields in Hampshire County, Virginia (now Mineral County, West Virginia)

Began operation in 1859 running from a terminal near Princess/Fairfax Streets in Alexandria to Vienna

After being extended, it ran from Alexandria to Bluemont (near VA-WV line)

Originally the Alexandria & Harper's Ferry Railroad -> Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad -> Washington and Ohio Railroad -> Washington and Western Railroad -> Washington, Ohio and Western Railroad -> leased by Richmond and Danville Railroad -> acquired by Southern Railway in 1894 -> acquired in 1912 by John Roll McLean (McLean is named after him) and Stephen Benton Elkins as part of the new Washington & Old Dominion Railway -> bought by Stephen Elkins' son Davis Elkins to become Washington & Old Dominion Railroad -> purchased by Chesapeake & Ohio Railway and owned by them until 1968 when it ended service

Alexandria Junction

Connected the Bluemont Line with Union Station in DC for the Southern Railway

Built before Bluemont Junction

Stop #18 - Del Ray

Town of Potomac

Formed in 1908 as a combination of Del Ray, St. Elmo, and the site of the former St. Asaph Racetrack & poolroom

Betting moved to poolroom which was making $150k/year in profit by placing bets via telegraph (claimed bets were technically being placed outside the state) but also had gambling (poker, roulette, etc.) inside

Movie "Remember the Titans" portrays consolidation of the city's 3 public high schools into one in 1971 creating an all-star team (climax of the film was actually a mid-season game against Marshall, the only team that put up a fight; T.C. Williams rolled over everyone else to the championship)

Known for its internationally competitive rowing program that has won state, national, and international championships and produced Olympic athletes

Founded in 1839 as the first high school in Virginia, originally known as The Howard School

Central administration building (Hoxton House) was built in 1805 by Elizabeth Parke Custis Law (oldest granddaughter of Martha Washington)

Closed during the Civil War, used as a hospital for Federal troops

Famed poet Walt Whitman served as a nurse at the temporary hospital

Became co-ed in 1991

Notable alums include John McCain (politician, excelled at wrestling while there), Tim Hightower (NFL running back), and Lester Kinsolving (political talk radio host, first White House correspondent to ask questions about the HIV/AIDS epidemic during the Reagan administration)

Closed by the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Commission and turned into a residential area

Camp California

Extensive federal encampment during Civil War

Strathblane estate located on Strathblane Pl near Patrick Henry ES served as headquarters for the encampment

Colonel Ben Brenman

Alexandria community activist for over 30 years

Involved in scores of projects including acquisition of the park that was later named for him (Ben Brenman Park)

Founded the Alexandria Archaeological Commission and served as its chairman for 21 years

Ben Brenman Archaeology in Alexandria Award presented to people who have given significant contributions toward Alexandria's community archaeology and acknowledges high quality work and efforts towards preservation and more

Stop #27 - Phoenix Mill

Built in 1812, only remaining mill structure in Alexandria

Also known as Brown's Mill, Watkin's Mill, and Dominion Mill

Had 8,000 foot mill race running from Holmes/Backlick Runs into Cameron Run

Produced 10,000 barrels of flour each year

Can't go inside because it's not safe

Stop #28 - Cameron Mills

2 mills built around 1752, possibly by William Bird, near Taylor Run/Cameron Run

Eastern mill purchased by Alexandria Water Company and became a pumping station in 1851, pumped water into a reservoir by Shuter's Hill for over a century

Western mill operated until 1919, owned by Walter Roberts who also ran a grain and feed store (now Virtue Feed & Grain restaurant, in the alley you can see the original "Walter Roberts" on the brick wall) at Union St/Wales Alley - mill burned down in 1928

Stop #29 - Dwight David Eisenhower Statue

Built to officially mark the start of the Eisenhower national expressway system

Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways is the full name of the interstate system, authorized by Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956

Ike served as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during WWII

My grandfather (Leonard Daniel Dry), born in Hutsonville, IL, served in US Army and was put in Ike's unit in Europe due to his mechanical and driving skills, once drove Winston Churchill, later joined Secret Service when Ike ran for president, Ike responsible for his marriage

Bobco's Alexandria Historical Bike Ride Guidebook Is Finished!

I've got great news: I just completed my guidebook for the Alexandria Historical Bike Ride!

For those not in the know about this, here's the sequence of events:

Initially, it was close to being finished in August

My laptop broke (motherboard fried)

I tried to get it fixed, but Apple considers 2011 hardware to be too ancient and Microcenter told me the cost to fix would be more than a new computer i.e. my laptop was totaled

Agony

In my process of moving to Seattle, I ordered a new laptop

New laptop arrives, I get all my design applications back on it (luckily had registered them with Adobe, so redownloading was easy)

I took the hard drive from the old laptop, plugged it in (external USB), and voila, the files were still there!

Researching the cost of printing X number of copies, cutting them, and binding them, I concluded that it was cheaper to buy my own printer, paper trimmer (has the sliding blade to cut many pages in half with smooth edge), and binding machine

I acquired everything necessary

Now: I have finished the guidebook (including proofreading and double-checking all directions) and have started production

I will be contacting a few folks who will be tasked with distributing a limited number of the guidebooks, but I will also make the guidebook available as a PDF just like my Arlington one. (takes deep breath)

(WHEW!)

I don't know if y'all could hear that from the East Coast, but I am relieved that it is finally complete!

VisitAlexandria would be interested in details of this project. They said as much at the last BPAC meeting.

Update: I reached out to them, and after some discussion, I am happy to announce that the Alexandria Visitor Center is planning on printing a few of the guidebooks! They said the guidebooks will be available in early 2018. Thank you for getting me in touch with them!

The guidebooks for this ride have now arrived in Virginia! I sent a box of them each to Steve O and CaseyKane50 for distribution. If you want an electronic PDF version, let me know so I can send one to you.